Full disclosure right off the bat: two of the six members of the eclectic Philadelphia band, the Mean, are my brothers. So I'm not unbiased when I say their new sophomore album, 'Zero, Zero,' is amazing. But you don't have to take my word for it. Praised for their "infectious live shows," "inventive time signatures" and "genre blending sound," the band is delightfully hard to categorize.
This eclecticism is part of what makes the Mean so captivating, along with their music's elemental catchiness. Their mixed aesthetic draws from a wide range of influences - think Richie Havens meets Bruce Springsteen meets Funkadelic.
With no apparent front man and three stylistically distinct guitarists who take turns vocalizing at the mic, the Mean still manages to maintain its own unique, unified sound. Maybe that tightness comes from the fact that its core members have been playing together in different iterations for over fifteen years. (They first came together at Princeton High School in New Jersey, the earlier stomping ground of both Blues Traveler and the Spin Doctors.)
Aaron Livingston, who sang the reggae-tinged "Guns Are Drawn" hook on The Roots' 'Tipping Point,' has a heart-melting soulful voice well suited for R&B and sometimes, country. Michael Gibney's tremulous tone is more classic folk. Charlie Raboteau is a baritone balladeer who edges toward rock.
Though each song on 'Zero, Zero' differs from the one that came before, they're all multi-layered and melodic in the same way. They're also smart.
Here is a lyric from 'You Want to Know Why I Love You': "In our Bible full of private jokes, I found a draft of a suicide note / I couldn't tell if it was you or I who wrote; the letters fading while the feeling floats."
You can stream the entire raft of songs on their website and see for yourself if it floats into your veins. Stellar tracks include 'Dragon Blues,' 'Pickering Bridge' and 'Ghost Witness.' (You can also stream their 2009 debut album, 'Meet us Here.')